They started in the US as, get this, a way to sell spelling books to children. Because the US had (and has!) it’s own spelling system, the standard spelling book was being sold to schools around the country and to sell more of them, the publishers held competitions.
Because the US had (and has!) it’s own spelling system
English wasn’t standardized before the American revolution so it’s not like they abolished the existing standard but they came up with their own when other nations did. Australia and Canada fall somewhere between US and British spelling and don’t get me started on NZ. I don’t know shit about NZ.
They started in the US as, get this, a way to sell spelling books to children. Because the US had (and has!) it’s own spelling system, the standard spelling book was being sold to schools around the country and to sell more of them, the publishers held competitions.
English wasn’t standardized before the American revolution so it’s not like they abolished the existing standard but they came up with their own when other nations did. Australia and Canada fall somewhere between US and British spelling and don’t get me started on NZ. I don’t know shit about NZ.